Gas dispensing device with pilot valve controlled outlet valve



Juy 4, 950 J. H. sTRooP 2,513,377

GAS DIsPENsING DEVICE WITH PILOT VALVE CONTROLLED OUTLET VALVE Filed Dec. 23, 1944 Patented July '4, 1950 GAS DISPENSING DEVICE WITH PILOT VALVE CONTROLLED OUTLET VALVE John H. Stroop, New York, N..Y., assigner to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation ofNewJersey Application December 23, 1944, Serial No. 569,547

'7 Claims. (Cl. 222-3) This invention relates to valves for controlling high pressure uid media, and particularly to discharge valves for cylinders or containers wherein such media is stored.

More specifically the invention applies to valves of the Aabove mentioned character for extinguishing lires, distending inflatable devices such as life preservers, rafts and the like, dispensing oxygen, and for other applications of pressure uidmedia.

A An object of the present invention is to p-rovide 4rarrimproved valve of the above indicated character, particularly as to weight, size, number of parts, cost, ease of manufacture and assembly and effective operation.

.Other objects are to simplify the body portion proper of a discharge valve; to provide a novel venting means for a piston and the like; to construct a syphon valve support for positioning a valve spring; to produce a single means including both main and pilot valve elements; to provide a novel attachment between a Valve stem and a valve body; to provide a trigger and valve operating means of more effective action for a certain application; and to combine all of these and other features for novel cooperation with each other to render the valve an improvement generally in its class. y

Other and further objects of the invention will beobvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for the purpose of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the'specication, wherein:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side View, partially in section and partially in elevation, of a valve embodying the invention in one form.

Figure 2 is a View, similar to Figure l, of a device constructed according to the invention in another form.

teriorly screw threaded inlet end and mounting portion I8v disposed in the neck l2 of the container, a throughbore 2i! forming a main valve chamber 22 adjacent to, and partially in, the portion I8, and a conduit 24 extending from the chamber 2,2 to a recess or cap receiving portion 26 at the other end of the bore 20. The casing body portion I6 further forms a safety discharge side `recess 28, communicating with the chamber 22 through a duct 30, a discharge outlet conduit 32 extending from, and transversely to, the conduit 24- to a side recess -`3d opening to the exterior of the body, and a main valve seat 36 in the chamber 22 around the entrance to the conduit 24 from the chamber,

A plug 38, screw threaded in the recess 2B, holds a gasket 40 against a safety disc 42, which, in turn,visheld against the bottom of the recess over the duct 3D by the plug and the gasket.

Acoupling 44 has a portion 46 screw threaded to the body I6 in the recess 3d, an annular shoulder portion 48, a screw threaded portion 5l), and a. discharge balancing orv anti-recoil portion 52 having right angularly related radial apertures therethrough. f The portion is adapted to receive ya coupling of a conduit, such as a flexible hose, extending to a uid dispensing device, such as a-dischargehorn. y

-A hollow stemv 66, in the conduit 24, has a lower end portion 68 in the chamber 22, and an uppervend portion 'l0 in the recess 26 joined by an intermediate portion l2 .of reduced diameter. The lower yend portion 68 forms a pilot valve chamber ld'having a valve seat 16 around the entrance to a small bore l8 extending to a large bore 80 in the upper end portion lil. The outer surface of the lower end portion 68 is of substantially frusto-conical shape diverging from a comparativelythin perimetrical edge S2 peened ra- E' dially outwardly to hold a main valve member 84.

The main valve member 8H comprises a shell 86 of `substantially cup-shape having the edges of an aperture at theclosed end thereof, held by the edge 82 and edges 88 at the open end of the shell bent radially inwardly to hold a yieldable sealing body 9B in the shell for engaging the seatv 36,. The upper endportion 10 of the hollow steml has an annularl shoulder 92 for a piston head 94, comprising a washer 96 onl the shoulder 92 and a slidable packing disc 98 on the washer 96,the :washer and .the disc being securely held to each'` other'and to the stem 66.

The main valve member 84 is normally maintained in .closed position by fluid pressure medium from the container l0 and by a helical 3 spring positioned by a syphon tube structure |02.

The syphon tube structure |02 comprises an f intermediate portion |04 secured to the head |4 in the inlet end or mounting portion I8, a short tubular portion |06, of smaller diameter and telescopically receiving the spring |00 whichengages, in this instance, a long tubular member or portion |08 extending from the portion |64v to a position close to the bottom of the container I0.

apertures Iii) to facilitate or balance ow of the fluid when the'main valve member 64 is open.

The spring |00, in this instance, rests on the tubular portion |08, but may tel'escopically embrace the portion |06, and rest on the portion |04, and be of tapered helical or `other shape.

A pilot valve member ||4 is disposed in theV chamber flof the stem 66 in the main valve member 81S and is normally maintained against its seat lt by the fluid pressure, and by a spring H6 extending between the member ||4 and an l apertured member IIB press fitted or otherwise secured in the chamber 'I4 and communicating axially ofthe stem 66 Withthe main valve chamber 22. l

The pilot valve member ||4 has a stem |20 extending from the member I4 entirely through A carrying handle |62, for the container I0 and the head I4 as a unit, is attached to the head, and is of such size, shape and position as to facilitate operation of the push button or cap |52.

In operation, when the push button |52 is depressed, a rst portion of its movement seats the tertiary valve member |54 against the seat |50, thus closing the duct |48 before the continued movement unseats the pilot valve member ||4 from its seat 'i6 for the flow of the pressure fluid and beyond the outer Vend of the holloW stem 66,

. and through the piston head 94, to a position outside the casing body portion I6, and provides for the flow of pressure iluid through the hollow stem 06 to a position above, or at the fluid -pres- 1 sure side of the piston head 94.

A cap member |24 of substantially cup-shape,

separate from, and of smaller diameter than the casing bodyv I6, is disposed over the bore 20 with its open end |25 in the recess ofreceiving portion 26 of the bore and is secured thereto, as by screw 1threads, by which it presses against a washer |28. The washer V|28 presses against a yieldable gasket |30 for -slidably sealing the hollow stem 66 at the entrance to the piston cylinder or cap |24 which is provided with a duct |32 venting the main `valve side of the piston head in the cylinder to the atmosphere. 'I'he outer vend |34 of the cup |24 has an aperture |40 and a recess t for a, sealing gasket |42 through which the pilot valve stern |20 extends to a position outside the The pilot valve stem |20 has an outer end i length I4| of increased diameter in the upper end portion 'I0 of the hollow stem 66, provided with a duct |48 extending from the iiuid pressure side `of the piston 94 to the outer end |50 of the stem |20, whereby the end I 50 constitutes a `tertiary valve seat for the head. A second cup or push button |52, telescoping the end |34 of the cup |24, has a central portion |54 of its `closed end |56 constituting a valve member for the tertiary valve seat |50 or outer end of the stem |20. A spring |58 between the cups |24' and |52 normally maintains the valve member or portion |54 away from, or in axially spaced relation to, the tertiary valve seat |50.v

from the container I0, into the main valve chamber, and through the hollow stem 66 to the upper -or uid pressure side of the piston 94 in the cylinder |24. The piston 94 is thereby actuated to push the hollow stem 66 and to consequently unseat the main valve member 84.

Upon the unseating of the main valve member 84', the pressure fluid passes from the main valve chamber 22, through an opening surrounded by the main valve seat 36, and through the conduit 24 to the transverse outlet'discharge conduit 32 for passage through the hose orv conduit to the horn above mentioned, or for other disposition.

Referring to Figure 2 in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference characters, the lmodiiication shown is similar to the apparatus above set forth.

A hollow stem |68 in this instance, `is constructed of separate upper and lower'sectionsA Il@ and |72, respectively, the upper end 'of the lower section I-'IZ of which is screw threadably secured in the lower end of -thesectionll -toform a joint |14.

A piston head H6 forms an integral part ofthe upper stem section |70 vand hasV a peripheral groove in which a packing ring |76 is disposed. A cap |80 is secured to a easing body |82 whichis similar to the cap |24, but protrudes farther from the casing body |8122 than the cap i254 from the"v body I6. The body |82 hasv a shallow recess |84 against the bottom of which a packing gasket |86 for the hollow stem` V|68- is heldy in a cup-shape member |88 having an -annular'outer flange |90A` d against which theo-pen end edge of lthe cap |80 The cap has a A'transverse end portion" presses. |92, of smaller diameter 'than theca-psides, in

which a packing gasket |94 is disposed fora pilot valve stem |96, and over which a cup |98., corresponding to the cup -I52yis disposed. The cup |88 similarly has a center portion |90' consti'-` tuting a' valve member for a tertiary vvalve seat 20| at the outer vend `ofthe pilot valve stem |06;

A Ilug 280 on aside of the cup |80: partially'sup ports, as by a pin 202, a link Y2204Y which extends upwardly from the lug parallel to' the head1 I4, and hasa pin V2526 .at its'u-p'per endl in a lever 208 connected` ai; one end to the cup |98. The other end 2H) of the lever 208 is--conneeted, as by apink 2 2, to a trigger 2 I4 depending Afrom the pin 2|f2.

A carrying handle. 21:6, rlonger rthan the handle |62k shown in Figure l, has a depending `guideor backing plate portion 2'Ii8' for-the trigger 2|4.. When the trigger 2|.4 is moved upwardly, the

pivotal or rotative movementof theflever `20H-andi the link 204 thereby caused, is translatedi intof linear or thrust movement parallel to: the axis .of

the pilot stein |60 for `accurately seating thetertiary valve member or portion |90.` on the seatv 20| at Aend of thestem |96. Continuing from this seating, the operation is )as set forth above"I for the structure of Figure l.

From the foregoing description, it will heap parent that various .elements of .a device of. the. vclass indicated have been'simplilied,.reduced s size, weight, costl and number, and recombined for-novel cooperation rendering the device more eiective, and an improvement generally, in its field' d As various changesmay befmade in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense,

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim: f l

1. A valve for uid pressure media comprising a casing providing a main valve chamber'and a cylinder, a main valve in said chamber, a piston in said cylinder for actuating said mainv valve, a pilot valve for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to said cylinder, a stem for actuating said pilot valve disposed in a bore of the piston ex- .l

tending to a position outside the casing and providing a vent for said cylinder, a container on which said casing is mounted as a unit therewith and containing said medium, a carrying handle for the unit, a trigger` on said handle, means on said handle providing a guide for the trigger and pivoted means between said trigger and said stem for operating the latter and including a vent valve member opposite the end of said stem, said pivoted means being operative for translating e including an element forming a pilot valve chaml ber communicating between said main valve chamber and a hollow stem in said outlet through. a pilot valve seat in the pilot valve chamber, a yieldable main valve seating body surrounding said element, a cup-like shell enclosing said body, a peripheral end edge of saidelement being radially outwardly peened to form a shoulder holding said shell and yieldable body in position, and a pilot valve member in said pilot valve chamber.

3. In combination in a self-contained unit, a container for a fluid pressure medium, a discharge valve head comprising a casing body secured to, and enclosing a main valve member controlling fluid from, the container and forming a pilot valve chamber, a cup having its open end in the body and constituting a piston cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said main v-alve member through a hollow stem providing communication between said pilot chamber and the pressure side of said piston, a pilot valve member, a spring normally seating said pilot member, a spring normally seating said main valve member, a syphon tube structure between said head and the container having an intermediate portion secured in the head and a tubular portion of smaller diameter telescoping and supporting said second spring, a stem on said pilot Valve member extending through said hollow stem and through the closed end of said cup and having a vent duct from the pressure side of said piston to the outer end of said l"pilot stem, a sec?- ond cup over said rst cuphaving a portion for closing said duct,` a spring in said second cup biasing the same away fromsaid rst cup.

4. A valve for fluid pressure media comprising a casing providing a main valve chamber and a cylinder, a main valve in 'said-chamber, a piston in said cylinder for actuating saidmain valve, ay hollow stem connecting said piston and valve and communicating with said chamber, a pilot valve for controlling the flow of pressure iluid to said cylinder through said hollow stem to the pressure side of the piston, an operating stem in said hollow stem for actuating said pilot valve andhaving a duct in communication with said hollow stem for venting said hollow stem and cylinder at the pressure side of the piston and extending to a position outside said casing, a cup-shaped member movable to telescope the upper end of the casing and the upper end of said operating stem, a valve member carried by said cup-shaped member for closing said duct, and resilient means normally retaining said last named Valve member in open position.

5. A Valve for fluid pressure media comprising' a casing providing a main valve chamber and. a cylinder, a main valve in said chamber and.

having a pilot valve recess formed therein, a piston in said cylinder for actuating said main valve, a hollow stem connecting said piston and valve and communicating with said chamber, a pilot valve in said recess for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to said cylinder through said hollow stem'to the pressure side of the piston, spring means supported within said recess normally retaining the pilot Valve closed, an operating stem in said hollow stem for actuating said pilot valve and having a duct in communication with said hollow stem for venting said hollow stem and cylinder at the pressure side of the piston and extending to a position outside said casing, a cup-shaped member movable to telescope the upper end of the casing and the upper end of said operating stem, a valve member carried by said cup-shaped member for closing said duct, and resilient means normally retaining said last named valve member in open position.

6. A valve for iluid pressure media comprising a valve body provided with a main valve chamber and a cylinder, a main valve in said chamber, a piston in said cylinder, a hollow stem connecting said piston and said main valve and establishing communication between said main valve chamber and said piston cylinder, a pilot valve adjacent to and seating on said main valve operable to control the communication through said hollow stem between said main Valve chamber and the piston cylinder, an operating stem in said hollow stem for actuating said pilot valve, said operating stem being provided with a duct establishing communication between the piston cylinder at the pressure side of the piston and the atmosphere, an operating member pivotally mounted on the valve body and adapted to depress the operating stern to unseat the pilot valve, and resilient means normally tending to move the operating member out of contact with the operating stem, whereby upon actuation of the operating member to depress the operating stem fluid under pressure will pass from the main valve chamber through the hollow stem to the piston cylinder and effect actuation of the main valve member, while upon release of the operating member the pressure in and :said piston cylinder, .a pilot Valve `airliacent tev and seatingon said main valve operable to cnntrol the communication through said hollow stem between v:saidmain valve chamber and .the piston cylinder, an operating stem in said hollow Stem for actuating said pilot valve, saidoperating .stemrextending above 'the :upper .end .of vsaidyalve body and being y'provided lat lits upper end with a duct opening through the upper `end of Vthe operating-stem and establishing communication between the piston cylinder vat the Apressure side of the `piston Iand the atmosphere, an yoperating member pivotally mounted on the valve body and adapted to l,depress -the operating .stem to unseat the pilot .valve and uto close voff ycommunication between ,said duct and 'the atmosphere while the operating stem is depressed, and resilient means normally tending to 'move .the ,operating member ,out of contact-with the operating stem, whereby alpen :actuation of the .operating member yto depress the operating .stem fluid under pressure will pass from Vthe main Lvalve chamber through the fhollowtstem to the piston cylinder and eiect actuation of the main valve member,

'will be returned to. their '8 while Aupon release ofi-.the operati-ng member the :pressure in the piston `cylinder will be Vented through said `duct -;;to the `atmosphere and the main valve member and the pilot valve member normally closed `positions. 1

JOHN H. STROOP.

REFERENCES CITED The following vreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '312,077 Bowen Feb. 10, 1885 521,644 Desmond June 19, 1894 604,358 Alexander May. '24, 1898 ,932,497 rRichman Aug. 31, 1909 1,233,856 Elder July 17, 1917 1,750,317 Hope Mar. 11, 1930 A2,172,142 Lebus Sept. 5, 1939 2,258,869 Towart Oct. 14, 1941 2,268,733 Williams Ja-n. 6, 1942 y2,273,756 Freygang Feb. 24, l1942 2,319,907 Stirling May 25, 1943 2,361,225 v Meyer Oct. 24, 1944 y viSGItEGrN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,906 France May 12, 1908 14,638 Great Britain 'July 15, 1905 g 141,017 France Feb. 8, 1881 419,737 y Great Britain Nov. 19, 1934 

